Sharks under threat

More than a quarter of sharks and rays in the north-east Atlantic face extinction from overfishing. A report from the International Union for Conservation of Nature found that 26% of all sharks, rays and related species in the regional waters are threatened with extinction

Basking shark feeding on plankton in the Atlantic Ocean. Basking sharks have small teeth and use their gills to collect food. Basking sharks are the world's second largest fish and listed as vulnerable by the IUCN

Spiny dogfish shark found dead in a fishing net. In Britain it is often sold in fish and chip shops 'rock salmon'. It was once the most abundant species and can live for up to 70 years. It is now critically endangered

Guitarfish can reach up to 5 or 6 feet in length and feed on crustaceans on the seabed. Their fins are highly sought after in Asia for use in shark fin soup. They are classified as endangered in the north-east Atlantic

Sawfish have a saw-like snout, called a rostrum which is covered with motion- and electro-sensitive pores that allow them to detect the heartbeats of prey buried in the ocean floor. IUCN scientists say it might be too late to save two types of the critically endangered sawfish